迪文小说

第35章 克服困难 1（第1页）

heConquestofObstacles

奥里森·马登

OrisonMarden

“Whatafinerofessionourswouldbeiftherewerenogibbets！”saidoneoftwohighwaymenwhochancedtoassagallows。“Tut，youblockhead，”reliedtheother，“gibbetsarethemakingofus；for，iftherewerenogibbets，everyonewouldbeahighwayman。”Justsowitheveryart，trade，orursuit；itisthedifficultiesthatscareandkeeoutunworthycometitors。

“Adversityisasevereinstructor，”saysEdmundBurke，“setoverusbyonewhoknowsusbetterthanwedoourselves，asHelovesusbettertoo。Hethatwrestleswithusstrengthensournervesandsharensourskill。Ourantagonistisourheler。Thisconflictwithdifficultymakesusacquaintedwithourobject，andcomelsustoconsideritinallitsrelations。Itwillnotsufferustobesuerficial。”

Strongcharacters，likethealmtree，seemtothrivebestwhenmostabused。Menwhohavestoodubravelyundergreatmisfortuneforyearsareoftenunabletobearroserity。Theirgoodfortunetakesthesringoutoftheirenergy，asthetorridzoneenervatesracesaccustomedtoavigorousclimate。Someeolenevercometothemselvesuntilbaffled，rebuffed，thwarted，defeated，cashed，intheoinionofthosearoundthem。Trialsunlocktheirvirtues；defeatisthethresholdoftheirvictory。

“Tomakehiswayatthebar，”saidaneminentjurist，“ayoungmanmustlivelikeahermitsandworklikeahorse。Thereisnothingthatdoesayounglawyersomuchgoodastobehalfstarved。”

Wearethevictorsofouroonents。Theyhavedeveloedinustheveryowerbywhichweovercomethem。

Withouttheiroositionwecouldneverhavebracedandanchoredandfortifiedourselves，astheoakisbracedandanchoredforitsthousandbattleswiththetemests。Ourtrials，oursorrows，andourgriefsdevelousinasimilarway。

Taketwoacornsfromthesametree，asnearlyalikeasossible；lantoneonahillbyitself，andtheotherinthedenseforest，andwatchthemgrow。Theoakstandingaloneisexosedtoeverystorm。Itsrootsreachoutineverydirection，clutchingtherocksandiercingdeeintotheearth。Everyrootletlendsitselftosteadythegrowinggiant，asifinanticiationoffierceconflictwiththeelements。Sometimesitsuwardgrowthseemscheckedforyears，butallthewhileithasbeenexendingitsenergyinushingarootacrossalargerocktogainafirmeranchorage。Thenitshootsroudlyaloftagain，rearedtodefythehurricane。Thegaleswhichsortsorudelywithitswidebranchesfindmorethantheirmatch，andonlyservestillfurthertotougheneveryminutestfiberfromithtobark。

Theacornlantedinthedeeforestshootsuaweak，slendersaling。Shieldedbyitsneighbors，itfeelsnoneedofsreadingitsrootsfarandwideforsuort。